Blood Night: The Legend of Molly Hatchet (2009) – By Baron Craze

As horror icon and star, Danielle Harris releases another new flick, Inoperable in the genre and starts another tour on the convention circuit, only fitting to publish an archived review from Rogue Cinema from February 2015.

Blood Night comes the collection of urban legends surrounding the woman known as Mary Hatchet related to areas in Long Island, Mt. Misery and even Kings Park Psychiatric Center housed her at some point, and connected to the Sweet Hollow Road, all of this helped director Frank Sabatella create his first feature ever. He and Elke Blasi wrote the script featuring many references to horror films from the 1980s, an interesting trend, and so much influence from one decade and overlooking the mundane years in the 1990s, nevertheless their film brings buckets of gore and plenty of exposure. There are two clear anthems sung in the film informing fans quickly of the priceless treat viewing before them, first the track Party Time used in Return of the Living Dead (1985) and then Killer Tomatoes sing-a-long.

The story starts with a little back-story of Mary Hatchet, telling from 1978, which involved a young Mary using scissors to her mother’s eye and then a hatchet to her dear father, then finishing off her precious mother, resulting her staying at a mental hospital. Horror fans will definitely rejoice that at the beginning for about 15minutes the blood and guts get a solid taste of the bloody bonds of parenting. Flash forward to 1989 she parades about naked and gets rape by an orderly who impregnates her and leading to lies of child’s birth. Shortly afterward she escapes, naked, now played by Samantha Facchi (her scenes done in subfreezing weather) bloody carrying a head, and shot dead by police. Now a few critics state the shooting goes too far, but not in today’s society where it is a moot point for it all gives rise to teens that have just another reason to party, drink, and have sexual thrills, all on the anniversary date of the murders. Her story, at times, mirrors both Michael Myers and Carrie storylines very closely. Especially, Carrie (1976) her shower scene with menstruation, and the ignorance of mother regarding it as sinful, here the action brings about a form of conjuring, screams and cries of pain, the blood as the life-force to ensue violent rampage of hacking up people. In addition, the usage of the Ouija board at a cemetery is an interesting turn of events since most of the time the object only used in haunted houses and for enhancing the paranormal activity hence the ability to awaken past traumas.

There are two legendary horror stars who star, first Bill Moseley, of over 80 horror film credits and who’s character Gus, plays homage to Crazy Ralph in Friday the 13th (1980) he performers the bit role, like the true thespian, giving the role and scenes much powerful, impact to the film itself. The other, Danielle Harris, most known for her roles in Halloween series in 1988 and 1989 and then again in the remakes, and her shows divine beauty to play a teenager and provide inside horror of shockingly portions to her classmates having a tad too much fun on Blood Night.

In all of the aspects of the film in the technical departments and special effects were spot on, however there is just one thing that misses the mark on the entire film, which is in the build-up and tension design, while Frank’s approach forgetting the anticipation and gets right to action, a bit of instant gratification. The delay builds the suspense and then unleashes the shocks, thrills and jumps, similar to a rollercoaster, the ride has build-up the move needs it too. The practical effects overall work very well, with all the beheadings, brains splattering on the floor, pumping arteries gushing in the faces of screaming women. Then a few scenes were a little too dark to show the action let alone entertain the audience though very bright scenes when dealing with any moments of T&A.

The body count brings a very high double-digit massacre, each dying in a slightly different manner, yet always creative, and that is where many horror fans will enjoy the bloodbath, so many films have 5 people dying in a film, the killings start and finish this movie. Blood Night, while not directly based from the urban legends does successfully blend more pieces together for a film that express fears of female sexuality, which was a staple in horror before all the paranormal and zombies movies dominated the circuit.

About This Site

This site will publish a new issue each month, covering both new and older horror movies, reaching into the depths forgotten treasures and the wretched disgraces. Also included are articles and interviews. In addition, reviewing thrillers, suspense, mysteries, dark dramas, perhaps a documentary and sci-fi flicks in the Other Worldly Cinema section, and proceeding onward through the twisted path of books, comics, soundtracks and music especially varied heavy metal genres and gothic/horror themed. Lastly, in an industry plagued with much memorabilia, and trying to determine what to buy or where to shop we cover that in Product Reviews, as well craving stories from aspiring writers and resurrecting reviews from our writers from defunct sites, all for your entertainment and hunger for more horror.